Celebrate with Good Friends and Good Food March 10, 2018, at 6:30 PM Bon Appetit Menu Chicken Liver Pate Spinach and Fruit with Raspberry Vinaigrette Fillet Steak in Phyllo Baby Brussels Sprouts with Buttered Pecans Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan Pie Wine and Coffee Assignments Couple One (Host): Fillet Steak in Phyllo, Coffee, Wine Couple Two: Chicken Liver Pate and Spinach and Fruit with Raspberry Vinaigrette Couple Three: Baby Brussels Sprouts with Buttered Pecans Couple Four: Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan Pie
Chicken Liver Paté 1 onion 1 clove of garlic 1 cup of mushrooms 2-3 tablespoons butter or margarine 2 pounds of chicken livers 1 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. curry powder 1 tsp. paprika ¼ tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 1 cup soft butter ¼ cup cognac assorted crackers Chop 1 onion and 1 clove of garlic. Also, slice 1 cup of fresh mushrooms. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of butter or margarine in a large skillet and sauté 2 pounds of chicken livers together with the garlic and onions 8-10 minutes. Add in mushrooms and cook another 3-5 minutes. Drain. In a blender, combine the skillet ingredients with 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. curry powder, 1 tsp. paprika, ¼ tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Mix thoroughly. Pour blender ingredients in a large bowl and add in one cup of soft butter and ¼ cup cognac. Mix until a uniform consistency is reached. Chill and serve with assorted crackers. Spinach and Fruit with Raspberry Vinaigrette 2 pkg. (10 oz. each) fresh spinach, stems trimmed, washed and patted dry 4 oz. feta cheese, cubed 1 cup dried apricots, sliced 2 ripe pears, cored and sliced 1 cup pecans, toasted Raspberry Vinaigrette: 1 pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed and drained 2 T. sherry vinegar 2 T. fresh lemon juice ½ cup olive oil ½ cup crème fraiche salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste Process the raspberries in a food processor until pureed. Strain through a sieve to remove the seeds and return the puree to the processor. Add vinegar and lemon juice. Add oil in a thin stream. Add creme fraiche and process until smooth. Season to taste. Place cheese, fruits and nuts on a bed of spinach. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Serves 6.
Fillet Steak in Phyllo 6 8 oz. beef fillets, room temperature salt and freshly ground pepper 12 sheets phyllo 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted 1½ cups Duxelles Lightly season steaks with salt and pepper. Lay out 2 over-lapping sheets of plastic wrap slightly longer than phyllo. Cover phyllo with more plastic and a damp cloth. Butter baking sheets. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on plastic wrap, brush with melted butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo, brush with butter. Center a fillet 3 inches from narrow edge of phyllo nearest you. Spread phyllo with about ¼ cup of Duxelles. Fold 3-inch flap of phyllo over steak. Brush with melted butter. Using plastic as an aid, turn phyllo and fillet over once. Brush butter over exposed phyllo. Fold in long sides of phyllo and brush with butter. Continue turning steak, buttering after each turn. Arrange seam down on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining steaks. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. F. Bake until pastry is puffed and golden, about 20 to 30 minutes. Internal temperature should be 140 degrees for rare. Serve immediately with sauce. Duxelles ¼ stick butter 2 Tbsp. chopped onions 1 tsp. chopped shallot 2 cup (½ lb.) finely chopped mushrooms 2 oz. smoked ham, chopped 1 Tbsp. tomato past ¼ cup beef stock or consumme ¼ cup Madiera Salt and freshly ground white pepper Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and shallot and sauté until translucent. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes. Add ham and paste and cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add stock, Madiera, salt and paper and cook, stirring frequently until liquid has almost completely evaporated. Mayonnaise-Mustard Sauce (Makes ¾ cup.) 1 egg yolk 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. Dijon salt and freshly ground white pepper ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup vegetable oil Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper, and 2 Tbsp. oil in processor. Mix until slightly thick. Gradually drizzle remaining oils in through feed tube, allowing mayonnaise to thicken. Adjust seasoning.
Baby Brussels Sprouts with Buttered Pecan ½ cup pecan halves, cut crosswise into thirds 3 tablespoons unsalted butter ¾ tsp. salt 2 lb. baby Brussels sprouts, trimmed ½ tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or to taste ¼ teaspoon black pepper Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread pecan pieces in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and bake until fragrant and a few shades darker, about 10 minutes. Add ½ tablespoon butter and ¼ teaspoon salt to nuts and toss until butter is melted and nuts are coated. While nuts bake, cook Brussels sprouts in a 6- to 8- quart pot of boiling water uncovered, until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water and cold water to stop cooking. Drain sprouts and pat dry. Melt remaining 2 ½ tablespoons butter in a 12 inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add garlic and cook stirring until fragrant about 1 minute. Increase heat to moderately high, then add sprouts and sauté, stirring occasionally until browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir in pecans and serve. COOK S NOTES; If you can t find baby Brussels sprouts, you can use 2 lb. regular Brussels sprouts, quartered. Pecans can be toasted and buttered 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature, covered Brussels sprouts can be boiled 1 day ahead and kept chilled in a sealed plastic bag with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan Pie Pastry Crust: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water Filling: 1 ½ cups (6 ounce) pecan halves or pieces 6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature ½ cup light brown sugar 3 large eggs ½ cup dark corn syrup 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon salt To make the pie crust, whisk flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives used scissors-fashion, until butter resembles small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over flour mixture, stirring gently with a fork, to distribute moisture evenly. Continue adding water just until dough begins to come together when a small bit is pressed between your fingers; do not over work the dough. Press dough together to form a ball and knead lightly. Shape dough into a disk and chill, wrapped in wax paper, for at least 30 minutes and up top 2 days. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12- to 13- inch round. Transfer dough to a 9-inch glass pie plate and gently press pastry against sides and bottom of plate. Trim edges ¾ inch beyond edge of plate, turn under, and crimp as desired. Prick all over bottom and side with fork. Press a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil snugly into bottom and around sides of shell and fill with uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes, remove foil and rice, and bake until golden brown, about 7 minutes longer. Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. To make the pie filling, toss together pecans, chocolate, and flour in a medium bowl and set aside. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, on at a time, beating and scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Add corn syrup, vanilla, and salt and beat just until combined; the mixture will look curdled. Stir in the pecan mixture. Transfer filling to pie shell and bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with just a bit of melted chocolate attached, about 55 minutes; filling will be set around edge, but jiggly in center. Cool pie completely in pan on a wire rack. (The pie will keep for 2 days at room temperature.) Serve cut into wedges. Serves 8.